Water ski foot binding device



Jan. 3, 1956 H. M. HARGETT 2,728,927

WATER SKI FOOT BINDING DEVICE Filed April 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR HAYDEN M. HARGETT ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1956 H. M. HARGETT WATER SKI FOOT BINDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1953 IWIIIIIIIIH:

INVENTOR HAYDEN M. HARGETT BY M/M ATTORNEY WATER SKI F001 BINDING DEVICE Hayden M. Hargett, Florence, Ala.

Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,382

2 Claims. (Cl. 9-21) This invention relates to an improved foot binding device and in particular to a foot binding device for application to water skis.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved foot binding or support that is readily adjustable to fit substantially any foot size.

A further object is to provide such a device provided with a positive size locking means which will not accidently release due to vibration and the like and which can be quickly and safely unlocked in case of emergency.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device which is free from sharp projecting elements which may cut the skier if he is thrown or falls while riding.

A further object is to provide a water ski foot binding device which is readily attachable to substantially any type of water ski, and wherein the binder adds rigidity thereto instead of weakening the ski as is often the case with prior art foot binders.

A further object is to provide such a device that is simple as to its parts, sturdy and permanent in construction, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages as provided by the improved foot binding device for water skis and the like which generally comprises a toe engaging member, and a heel engaging member including a heel support, paired track means securable to the upper face of the ski rearwardly of the toe engaging member, track engaging slide blocks secured to each side of the heel support, and a locking pawl carried by each of said slide nited States Patent blocks and adapted to engage interdentil spaces provided in said track means.

The invention will be more fully described with reference to the illustrative embodiments of the invention in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a water ski with the novel foot binding device attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation in vertical section of the heel engaging portion of the novel foot binder shown in a forward and a rearward position;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 1.

With reference to the drawings, 10 is the center section of a ski which may have any suitable shape or form as is well known in the art, the specific form of the ski per se not forming a part of the present invention.

Rearwardly of the front end of the ski is secured a toe engaging member 12 preferably constructed of flexible or resilient material such as rubber, leather, plastic sheeting or textile material and the like. The toe piece 12 is conveniently attached to the upper face of the ski by means of plates 14 and 14' against which screws 16 bear, the screws passing through the edges of the toe engaging member and into the upper face of the ski.

Rearwardly of the toe engaging member 12 is the heel engaging member which is mounted for limited sliding See movement along the longitudinal axis of the ski as to be more fully described hereinafter.

The heel engaging member generally comprises a heel support piece 18, a pair of slide blocks 20 and 20', paired track members 22 and 22' and locking pawls 24 and 24'. The slide blocks, track members and locking pawls are preferably constructed of aluminum; however, other metals such as brass, stainless steel and the like would be very satisfactory.

The heel support piece 18 is preferably constructed of flexible or resilient material of the type employed in the construction of the toe engaging member 12.

Each track member 22 and 22 has a substantially cylindrical rail 26 which is supported above the upper surface of the ski by a plurality of L-shaped supports or dentils 28. The rails are secured to the upper surface of the ski by small screws 30, the heads of which bear against the upper face of the base leg of the L-shaped support members 28.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the track members are positioned on the ski so that they converge slightly in the rearward direction.

The ends of the rails 26 may be bent downwardly as at 32 and 32' so that the end faces are in contact with the upper face of the ski. With the rails so bent the heel support piece cannot be removed from the track members and become lost. Bending of the ends of the rails further eliminates any sharp edges which might cut the rider.

The slide blocks 24 and 20' are each secured to one side of the heel support member 12 by rivets 34 and 34 or the like. In order to prevent the rivets from pulling out bearing pieces 36 and 36, respectively, are provided on the inside surfaces of the heel support member against which the rivets bear, as more clearly shown in Figs. 4-6.

A flexible pad 38 and 38' may be secured, as by gluing or the like, over each of the bearing pieces 36 and 36 to protect the foot of the rider from the rivets and the edges of the bearing plates.

The lower portion of the slide blocks have cylindrical bores 40 and 40 which are longitudinally slotted, see Fig. 6, as at 42 and 42 so that the blocks can slide past the vertical legs of the support dentils 28.

Each of the slide blocks 20 and 20 is also provided with a slot 44 and 44, respectively, at right angles to the slots 42 and 42. The slots 44 and 44 pass radially through the track engaging portion of the blocks and are adapted to receive their respective locking pawl.

Each of the locking pawls 24 and 24' comprises a rail engaging cylindrical portion 46 and 46' and an actuating and locking arm 48 and 48'. With particular reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that the locking pawls are each axially slotted as at 50 and 50' so that the pawls can slide past the vertical legs of the support dentils when the slot is in alignment therewith. The pawl 24 of Fig. 5 is shown in this position.

The alignment of the slot in each of the pawls is effected by rotating the pawl about its corresponding rail by its lever arm.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 4, the interdentil spaces 52 and 52 are slightly wider than the width of the locking pawls whereby when the pawls are rotated to the position of pawl 24 of Fig. 5 they will snugly fit into these spaces and prevent further sliding movement of the slide blocks and their attached heel support member. The angular relationship between the locking or lever arms and the slots in the locking pawls is so selected that the tips of the lever arms are in contact with the upper surface of the ski when the slide blocks are in the locked position. Thus the side edges of the base legs of the L-shaped dentils contact the side edges of the locking or lever arms 43 or 48' of the locking pawls 46 and 46', respectively, and

further aid in restraining the heel supporting member 18. In operation of the device of the invention the lever arms 48 and 48 are moved to the position shown by locking pawl 24 of Fig. 5 and the slide blocks 20 and 20 with the attached heel support member 18 are slid rearwardly so that the riders foot may be placed within the toe piece 12. With the foot in place and without changing the position of the locking pawls relative to the slide blocks, the assembly is slid forwardly until the heel support member 18 firmly engages the riders heel. From this position the heel support assembly is slid forwardly or rearwardly until the locking pawls are aligned with the nearest interdentil spaces. Next the locking pawls 24 and 24' are rotated to the position shown by locking pawl 24 in Fig. 5 and the heel support member is locked in position. To unlock the heel support member the procedure is reversed and the lever arms 46 and 46' are lifted until the slots 50 and 50' therein are aligned with the vertical leg of the dentils 2S and 28', respectively.

The divergent position of the trackways 27 and 27' help insure that the slide blocks 20 and 20 do not accidently become unlocked due to vibration and the like as it will be seen that any force tending to urge the heel support member rearwardly or forwardly would place a turning moment on the slide blocks relative to their supporting rails 26 and 26'.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the foot binder of the invention fully accomplishes the aims, objects and advantages of the invention. It is evident, however, that the form of the novel heel engaging device may be variously modified without departing from this invention. For example, the rails and the complementary openings in the slide blocks and locking pawls need not be circular in cross-section as square or triangular crosssectional members could be used, and index lines on the slide blocks and their corresponding locking pawls such as shown at 56 and 56 in Fig. 1 could be used to indicate when the slide blocks are unlocked.

I claim:

1. A foot binder for skis and the like comprising a toe engaging member, and a heel engaging member, said heel engaging member comprising a heel support, paired track members, a plurality of dentils securable to the upper face of a ski rearwardly of the toe engaging member and supporting said track members, track engaging slide blocks secured to each side of said heel support, a locking pawl carried by each of said slide blocks and adapted to engage the spaces between the track supporting dentils.

2. A foot binder for skis and the like as defined in claim 1 wherein the track members converge rearwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,327,783 Hains Aug. 24, 1943 2,382,149 Hartman Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 484,038 Canada June 17, 1952 17,179 Austria Aug. 10, 1904 

